Canadians May Join U.s. Rowers

June 02, 1985|by RUDY BEDNAR, Sunday Call-Chronicle

Not only are preparations being completed at Mauch Chunk Lake for the United States Women's Olympic rowing team which will spend three weeks in training on those waters next month but there is a chance now that the Canadian National team may join them.

According to Larry Wittig of Tamaqua, who coached the women's pairs- without- coxswain team during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and was personally behind the move to bring the U.S. Olympian ladies to Carbon County this summer "nothing as yet has been finalized but the Canadians would like to race our team here if it can be arranged."

Wittig explained that the Canadians are willing to make the trip if accomodations can be provided for their visit. "That may be easier said then done," he says, "because sofar not enough housing has been secured for our own team."

"The Canadians would be in just to race not stay," explained Wittig who has been working steadily since January to get everything ready. He started right in soon after returning from the Olympic Committee meeting in San Francisco with the good news. The governing forces accepted his proposal to move the selection camp from Hanover, Mass. to Mauch Chunk Lake.

Since then various groups have joined him in arranging for housing, food and transportation for the Olympians who will arrive July 22 and train until Aug. 8 before they depart for Belgium and the World Championships.

About 40-50 rowers and coaches are expected from all over the country. Meanwhile, Wittig will not be directly involved with the training at the lake but he plans to be there. He leaves June 15 for Seattle to attend the week- long national championships after which he'll help set up the team's development camp at Corvalese, Oregon.

Wittig will be one of four coaches at the non-cutting development camp where a group of 60-70collegians have been invited to learn the basics of international rowing competition. Those that will participate were screened throughout the year by coaches who watched and tested them.

The top 10 will come here to Mauch Chunk Lake to join the veterans in trying out for theU.S. team. An organizational day is scheduled for July 22 at the lake. The training sessions will start the following day at 6 a.m. Another workout will follow late in the afternoon. The drills will be conducted similarly in 10-day cycles with a day-or-two off in between.

Holly Hatton of Boston, who coaches at Radcliffe U. in Cambridge will direct the training with help from Liz Hills O'Leary of Brooks Prep School, North Andover, Mass. and Joe Camino and Chuck Nagel who coach the women teams at Rutgers and Dartmouth, respectively.

The rowers will learn techniques in rowing together as units after which they will be tested for their ability and speed to assemble the team which will represent the United States in international rowing competition. About 20-24 rowers will make up the 1985 U.S. team. In all, a contingent of 32 rowers and coaches will take off for the world championships.

Wittig has arranged to use the University of Pennsylvania's boats including eights, fours and pairs which he is taking west with him in two weeks. Those same shells will be used here at Mauch Chunk Lake during the selection camp which means he'll have to do some hurrying to get back in time.

"There is still a lot to do even before I leave," says Wittig who earlier this year, when the lake was frozen over, marked out the 2,500-meter training course in 500-meter intervals. "Now we have to erect the markers along the shore and clear away the brush so they can be seen," he says.

Wittig also wants to locate a tarp to keep the boats covered at the launch site and also a tent that can be set up so that the rowers will have facilities for stretching exercises.

But, the main concern now is to find enough area families willing to act as hosts. Wittig points out that housing is preferred in the immediate Jim Thorpe area which would help facilitate a centralized transportation system which is also needed. "We have to look for vans or something like that to transport the team members from the homes to the lake and also to Flagstaff Park where all the meals will be served."

Each host home is being asked to accommodate between two and four women and provide, if possible seperate bathroom facilities so the family's routine will not be disrupted.

Families need only provide housing-no meals or laundry service is required. The members of the team average about 24 years in age and are either upperclassmen in college or college graduates.

Anyone willing to make their homes available can contact Jim Thorpe Commerce Association members Patricia Handwerk at 717 325 8566 during the day or Elissa Marsden at 717 325 3244 in the evening.